Page 40 of Protected By West
"U-under arrest?"
Bonney freed his cuffs from his belt and took a step toward the woman. "Yes, ma'am. Please. Don't resist."
Her mouth worked a little as she looked from the Trooper to Weston and then on to the other uniformed Rangers.
The handcuffs in Bonney's hand caught the sunlight and the bright flash seemed to spur the woman to action. She turned her back and reached for the door of her car.
Weston barely avoided a laugh as her feet slipped on the grass and she floundered a little.
When she opened the driver's door to her car, she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.
Bonney made quick work of handcuffing the woman.
As soon as he turned her around to head to his car, she dug her heels into the grass. "Wait! Wait! You didn't read me my rights!"
Bonney almost lifted her off of her feet to get her going again and as Dally stepped aside to give them room, she locked sightson the officer. "You know... that... Miranda thing! He didn't read that to me."
Dally turned to look at Bonney. "Planning to interrogate the woman?"
Weston saw Bonney's pained gaze. "I was kind of hoping she'd exercise the right to be silent."
Weston saw Oxy smile at that. "I think we're gonna get along real well, Trooper."
Duval opened the back door of the Trooper's cruiser. "You get many stops like this?"
Weston gave the trooper credit for protecting the woman's head from the top of the door frame and buckling her in with a minimum of fuss.
When Bonney closed the door, he turned his head to Duval and answered. "Not really. Most people answer my questions, show their documents, take the ticket and go on their way. This?" He shook his head. "This was... extreme."
Then he looked at Weston, meeting his gaze evenly. "Is there something you needed, Major?"
Weston nodded. "I was coming to find you when we saw you stopped on the side of the road. I got your application to join the Rangers. Are you still interested?"
Bonney nodded. "I put in for it. Yes, sir. I grew up on tales about the Rangers. My father and grandfather tried to join, but they didn't make it. They raised me to reach high. I want to make them proud."
Weston smiled at that. "I'm a third generation Ranger. The pressure people put on me to follow suit was... painful."
Bonney looked at him with admiration. "You made it, sir. I hope to do the same."
"Your record is impressive. I know that the State Troopers are looking at you for advancement. Do you want to stay where you are or-"
"I want to be a Ranger, sir."
Weston didn't have to look at the others to know what they were thinking. It was obvious that they liked the State Trooper.
"If you're looking to join. You can be sure you have my recommendation."
Trooper Bonney's eyes widened with a hint of shock. A moment later he held out his hand. "Sir. Thank you."
Weston shook his hand, but when they stopped, Weston continued to talk to him.
"Would you be interested in a Special Operations team? I've seen your record at the firing range. We could use your long gun skills on SWAT."
"SWAT?"
Weston nodded. "We're putting together a team in San Antonio. You're on my list for the team."
Bonney stood there looking at him as if he was frozen in time.
